Russians believe Putin while Europeans fear they might be sold

12.06.2016 19:11

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“I am afraid that Russia feels a lot better than Europe,” Czech politician and former Ambassador to Russia (2000-2005) and Ukraine (2007-2010) Jaroslav Basta told the website ParlamentníListy.cz, when asked to comment on the current economic situations in Russia and Europe.

“Russians reasonably hope that it will get better, they have a president they believe in. While Europe already knows that it was better before and the Europeans know that their politicians are able to sell them to anyone. Even to Erdogan, if he is eager to buy,” said the former diplomat.

When asked about the discussion on easing anti-Russian sanctions, Jaroslav Basta noted that the punitive measures are helping the Russian President.

“If the West wanted to complicate the internal political situation for the Russian President, it would have lifted the sanctions,” he said.

The politician also added that there could be a change of government and facilitation of the reforms in Russia after the country’s parliamentary elections which are set for September this year.

Jaroslav Basta also commented on the recent crossing of the US Army Convoy through the Czech Republic and its joint training with the Czech Army, as part of the 17-day vehicle road march using Stryker Combat Vehicles and support vehicles from Rose Barracks, Germany, to Tapa, Estonia for the Saber Strike 16 joint military exercise (May 27-June 22).

“The convoy demonstrated NATO members shared commitment to security, including the ability to rapidly move a regiment-sized convoy along two routes and through six countries, covering more than 2,400 kilometers,” according to a statement of the website of the US Embassy in the Czech Republic.

However Jaroslav Basta believes that NATO has followed the fate of the EU: in the course of its expansion the alliance has become incapable.

“Instead of being a defense pact, NATO is a not so-united military union, where the main role belongs to the US armed forces,” he said.

“It wasn’t that important for the unipolar world. However, from the Western point of view, the world is currently becoming multipolar and full of previously unknown threats. Thus the Americans have to force their allies to gain the ability, at least partially, to defend on their own,” the diplomat added.

The so-called “aggressive Russia”, the politician said, is simply a good pretext and not just due to the historic experience of its neighbors.

The main thing is the guilty conscience of the Baltic States and their discriminative policy towards the Russian minority and the so-called non-resident status they get within these states.

As for the motives of other countries, he added, it is not by chance that Romania joined the missile defense system, at the same time raising the issue of reconsidering the territorial injustice of the Stalin era (the possible return of the Bessarabia region).